I met Modi before elections and won two seats: Sajjad Lone
People are not interested in ideologies, they are interested in jobs and bread and butter issues, says Jammu & Kashmir People Conference leader.
Sajjad Lone, a former separatist whose party won two seats in the Jammu and Kashmir elections, has reportedly credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the victory.
"I met Modi before elections and won two seats, more than my father ever won," chief of the Jammu & Kashmir People Conference was quoted as saying in The Indian Express.
Lone is the son of former separatist Abdul Ghani Lone, who was killed by militants in 2002.
Sajjad Lone, who lost an election earlier, won from the Handwara seat, securing 29,355 votes.
Bashir Ahmad Dar, another party candidate, won from the Kupwara seat, bagging 24,754 votes.
Sajjad Lone, while speaking to the newspaper, argued that people did not vote for ideologies. "People are not interested in ideologies. They are interested in jobs and bread and butter issues. If you go to them with ideologies, they will not reward you with votes. They will vote for you if you promise jobs."
Lone met Modi in Delhi on November 11, weeks before the elections.
"I cannot tell you how humble he is. He was talking as if I was the Prime Minister and not him. It was like two brothers talking to each other," he was quoted as saying in a newspaper then.